The origins of the rally date back to 1968 when the first rally was staged by Richard Parrott. Today the rally has grown into one of the UK’s largest, with many permanent exhibits kept on the rally site.
One such permanent exhibit is the very impressive Marshall semi-portable engine No. 216622? of 1893. This large undertype engine with a locomotive type boiler was mesmerising to watch as it slowly ticked over in the boiler house area near the wood sawing.
Another permanent exhibit is the standard gauge Fengate Agricultural Railway. Working the railway during the rally was resident Andrew Barclay saddle tank locomotive No. 2069. This engine was originally supplied for use at Little Barford power station where it worked until 1964. It spent the last years of its working life operating at Acton Lane power station. When withdrawn by the CEGB in 1983 it and a sister locomotive were the last regular working steam locomotives in London. The little Barclay certainly made its presence known when it roared up the incline pushing the 10 ton Grafton Steam crane up the line. This former LNER crane was withdrawn by BR in 1981 and is currently undergoing boiler work. It will certainly make an interesting sight once restoration is finished, supplying wood to the timber yard.
